Panthers Goalie Tarasov Laments 'Frustrating' Last-Second Loss to Wild

Florida falls short after tying game late, as Minnesota scores winner with just 4 seconds left

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:10am

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Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov expressed his disappointment after the team's heartbreaking 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild, in which the Wild scored the winning goal with just 4 seconds remaining in regulation. The Panthers had fought back to tie the game 2-2 with 73 seconds left, but were unable to force overtime.

Why it matters

The loss is another blow to the Panthers' fading playoff hopes, as they now sit well outside the postseason picture. Meanwhile, the win is a crucial two points for the Wild, who are chasing the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division and home-ice advantage in the first round.

The details

The Panthers fell behind 2-0 early, but Aaron Ekblad scored with 73 seconds left to tie the game. However, Joel Eriksson Ek scored the winner for the Wild with just 4 seconds remaining, dashing the Panthers' hopes of forcing overtime.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 27, 2026.
  • Ekblad scored the tying goal with 73 seconds left in the third period.
  • Eriksson Ek scored the winning goal for the Wild with just 4 seconds remaining in regulation.

The players

Daniil Tarasov

The Florida Panthers' starting goaltender, who expressed his frustration with the team's last-second loss.

Joel Eriksson Ek

The Minnesota Wild forward who scored the game-winning goal with just 4 seconds left in regulation.

Aaron Ekblad

The Florida Panthers defenseman who scored the game-tying goal with 73 seconds remaining in the third period.

Jeff Petry

The Minnesota Wild defenseman who was a former teammate of the Florida Panthers.

Matthew Schaefer

The New York Islanders player the Florida Panthers will face in their next game on Saturday.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone was happy to come back from 2-0. Then with (five) seconds left to give up the third goal, it's disappointing. Just frustration now.”

— Daniil Tarasov, Florida Panthers Goaltender

What’s next

The Florida Panthers will look to bounce back on Saturday when they take on the New York Islanders.

The takeaway

This heartbreaking last-second loss is another setback for the struggling Florida Panthers, who are now well outside the playoff picture. However, the win is a crucial two points for the Minnesota Wild, who are chasing the Dallas Stars for second place in the Central Division and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.